Frederick County

Frederick County, Maryland – key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• ~294,000 (July 1, 2023 estimate, U.S. Census Bureau PEP)

Age

• Median age: ~39.5 years (ACS 2023 1-year)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~16–17%

Gender

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3% (ACS 2023 1-year)

Race/ethnicity (shares; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~66%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~10–11%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~6%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~12–13%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and other: ~1% combined (ACS 2023 1-year / Census QuickFacts)

Households

• Number of households: ~108,000
• Average household size: ~2.7–2.8 persons
• Family households: ~72–74% of households
• With children under 18: ~33–35% of households
• Tenure: ~74% owner-occupied, ~26% renter-occupied (ACS 2023 1-year)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (1-year) and Population Estimates Program (July 1, 2023). Figures rounded.

Frederick County, MD — email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Users: About 235,000–250,000 people use email regularly (roughly 80–85% of the total population, or ~92–95% of residents aged 13+).
• Age distribution of users:
  • 13–24: ~17%
  • 25–44: ~39%
  • 45–64: ~29%
  • 65+: ~15%
• Gender split: Roughly even (about 50/50), with no meaningful usage gap by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband: High subscription rates (≈90%+ of households), with strong cable/fiber take-up in Frederick city, Urbana, and the I‑270 corridor; more reliance on DSL/fixed wireless/satellite in rural north/west.
  • Mobile: Robust 4G/5G coverage along I‑70/I‑270 and population centers; coverage becomes spottier in mountainous and agricultural areas.
  • Device mix: Majority multi-device; an estimated 10–12% of households are smartphone‑only.
  • Remote work/education boosted email intensity among working-age adults and parents since 2020.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population ~295,000 across ~660 square miles (≈450 people/sq mi), with dense clusters in Frederick city/Ballenger Creek and sparse areas near the Catoctin Mountains.
  • Ongoing county/state last‑mile projects continue to reduce rural unserved pockets.

Notes: Figures synthesize Census/ACS connectivity patterns and national email adoption by age.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Frederick County, MD is high and growing, with strong 5G along the I‑270/I‑70 corridors and more variability in rural/mountain areas. Compared with Maryland overall, the county shows a sharper urban–rural gap in speeds and a higher share of mobile‑primary households in outlying communities.

User estimates

• Population base: ~300,000 residents; ~235,000 adults. Household count ~110,000.
• Smartphone users: 250,000–275,000 residents (roughly 85–90% penetration overall; 88–92% among adults). Method: apply Maryland/Pew age‑based adoption rates to county age mix.
• Mobile‑primary internet: Estimated 12–16% of households rely mainly on cellular data for home internet (via phone tethering or 4G/5G home internet), a few points higher than the statewide share, driven by rural areas with limited fiber/coax.
• Network use patterns: Peaks along commuter corridors (I‑270, I‑70, US‑15) and in Frederick City during events; lower loads but also weaker signal in western/northern valleys near the Catoctins.

Demographic breakdown (estimates reflect national/state patterns applied to county mix)

• Age:
  • 18–49: ~95% smartphone adoption; heaviest 5G usage and app‑centric behavior.
  • 50–64: ~90% adoption; growing use of 5G home internet in fringe suburbs.
  • 65+: ~70–80% adoption; adoption lags more in rural precincts north/west of Frederick City.
• Income:
  • High‑income suburbs (Urbana, east/southeast corridor): near‑universal smartphone ownership; multi‑device households, lower mobile‑only reliance.
  • Moderate/lower‑income neighborhoods (parts of Frederick City, rural villages): similar phone ownership but higher mobile‑only internet dependence.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black and Hispanic residents are as likely or more likely to be smartphone‑reliant for internet access than White/Asian residents, consistent with statewide/national trends; this raises mobile data demand in parts of Frederick City and Route 40/Route 85 corridors.
• Households with children: above‑average multi‑line plans and data usage; early adopters of 5G fixed wireless where cable/fiber is absent.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage:
  • Strong LTE/5G along I‑270/I‑70/US‑15 and in Frederick City, Urbana, and major suburbs.
  • Notable weak spots and signal variability in mountainous and valley areas (north/west of Frederick City toward Thurmont, Sabillasville, and along the Potomac valley near Brunswick), where low‑band LTE often dominates.
• 5G:
  • Mid‑band 5G (e.g., C‑band/n41) widely available in the city/suburbs and along highways; limited mmWave to dense downtown pockets if at all.
  • Rural 5G is mostly low‑band with LTE‑like speeds; fixed‑wireless 5G home internet is growing where cable/fiber are limited.
• Carriers:
  • All national carriers present; best capacity where sectors face highways and commercial zones. Congestion can occur at peak commuter times and large events in downtown Frederick.
• Backhaul and fiber competition:
  • Robust fiber/backhaul on I‑270/I‑70 spines; Verizon Fios and Comcast/Xfinity cover most urban/suburban areas.
  • Sparse last‑mile fiber in western/northern rural areas; greater reliance on fixed wireless (T‑Mobile/Verizon 5G Home, WISPs) and satellite.
• Public and grant activity:
  • County collaborates with Maryland’s Office of Statewide Broadband; ongoing grants and permitting for towers/fiber in underserved pockets. Library hotspot lending and public Wi‑Fi help bridge gaps, indicating continued mobile reliance in certain communities.

How Frederick differs from Maryland overall

• Higher mobile‑primary reliance: A greater share of households depend mainly on cellular data (phone or 5G home internet) than the state average, due to rural last‑mile constraints.
• Sharper urban–rural performance gap: Statewide averages are buoyed by dense metro counties; Frederick shows larger swings in coverage/speeds between Frederick City/suburbs and mountainous rural zones.
• Commuter‑driven demand patterns: Capacity pressure aligns with outbound/inbound commuter peaks on I‑270/I‑70, creating more pronounced time‑of‑day variability than in many Maryland counties.
• Faster uptake of fixed‑wireless home internet: Outlying ZIP codes show stronger 5G home adoption than most suburban parts of Maryland with comprehensive cable/fiber.
• Seniors’ adoption gap is more geographic: Countywide senior adoption is comparable to Maryland, but rural seniors in Frederick are more likely to be on basic LTE/limited data plans or share devices.

Notes and sources to validate or refine figures

• Use ACS tables S2801 and B28002 (latest year) for county vs. state device ownership and internet subscription types (including cellular data plans).
• Compare FCC Broadband DATA maps and carrier 5G coverage maps for mid‑band/low‑band availability and rural gaps.
• Cross‑check with Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband and county broadband updates for current buildouts and grants.
• Apply Pew Research smartphone adoption rates by age/income to Frederick’s ACS age/income mix for refined estimates.

Here’s a concise, county-level snapshot. Note: Frederick County rarely publishes platform-by-platform stats; figures below are estimates derived from Pew Research’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media usage applied to local demographics. Use these as directional ranges.

Quick snapshot

• Population: ~295,000 (2024 est.)
• Estimated active social media users: 210,000–240,000 (roughly 72–82% of residents; ~85–90% of residents age 13+)

Age adoption (share using at least one platform)

• 13–17: 90–95%
• 18–29: 90–95%
• 30–49: 85–90%
• 50–64: 70–80%
• 65+: 50–60%

Gender

• Overall usage is near-even (county population ~51% female/49% male).
• Platform lean: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X. Gaps typically 5–15 percentage points by platform.

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adults using each; rounded)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 45–50%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• LinkedIn: 30–35% (likely high locally due to Fort Detrick, biotech, gov/contracting)
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• WhatsApp: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 25–30% (skews under 30)
• X (Twitter): 20–25%
• Reddit: 20–25%
• Nextdoor: 15–25% of households (not nationally benchmarked; strong in suburban neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community info: Facebook Groups/Pages and Nextdoor drive updates on schools, weather, road work, utilities; rapid spikes during emergencies/closures.
• Local discovery: Instagram Reels and TikTok for restaurants, breweries, markets, live music, and nearby outdoors (e.g., Catoctin/Cunningham Falls). Common tags include #DowntownFrederick and #VisitFrederick.
• Video-first: Short-form video is dominant; cross-posting Reels/TikToks to Facebook extends reach to 30–49.
• Utility/DIY: YouTube popular for home/yard projects, local sports streams, churches, and commuting tips.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn active for biotech, healthcare, education, and government contracting hiring.
• Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger nearly ubiquitous among Facebook users; WhatsApp notable in multilingual/extended-family networks.
• Engagement timing: Typically higher on weekday evenings and weekend late mornings/early afternoons; school-year calendars influence peaks.